Tank McNamara by Bill Hinds for September 10, 2021

Depends. Think you can beat Federer even up?

Well, I don’t see any coed tennis associations

Hmm. Lots of food for thought here. I don’t follow tennis so can’t decide if this is Bill’s imagination running wild or something more.

She can’t be the greatest until she beats Margaret Court.

She’s already beaten Court where it counts. Serena Williams is not a raging homophobe. Margaret Court is!

Go outside and play with your sister until you get over this grump.

She is the best female tennis player ever, but Serena would lose in straight sets to any of the top 10 men on the tour, and it wouldn’t even be close.

JW’s are not supposed to be ambitious.

Even though I’ve lived here for over 20 years, I still can’t get my head around the American obsession with being “the best.” I mean, I take pride in what I do for a living, but my greatest accomplishment will always be my family and friends. Years from now, on our death beds when we look back over our lives, I can’t imagine thinking “I wish my career had gone just a bit better.”

Some people can never be satisfied.

A talented egomaniac with a self-esteem problem.

No offense, but Martina holds 59 total career grand slam titles (her last at age 49), and Serena 39. Martina has 706 career wins and a win rate of 80% against top 10 players, to Serena’s 431 and 78%. Steffi Graf also racked up 451 wins vs. the top 10, with a ridiculous win rate of 83%. Serena is phenomenal, and easily one of the best 2-3 ever to play, but “greatest women’s tennis player ever” is – as yet – not quite undisputed.